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Saturday, June 7, 2008

More NATIONAL SERVICE Anyone?

There is a proposal in the NST to increase the number of trainees from 110,000 to 140,000.

"30,000 more for National Service"
http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/2260955/Article/index_html
According to the article, the present budget for NS is RM500m and if the sum is prorated, the cost should be RM636m but should probably be less if recent food and fuel prices had not been increased.

There is also a proposal to set up a "forum" to review the NS program.
I would like to suggest with such recurring costs and the health/safety concerns of many parents, a "Racial Harmony Commission" should be set up to manage and control the NS scheme rather than a "meet for tea forum".

I also think ALL youths should take part in a OBS-style training that lasts not more than 30 days rather then the 3 months camps that really not achieve anything significant except to produce a few dozen happy campers.

Much of the damage to inter-racial relationships is done to our youths when we segregate them into racially dominant from secondary one and the whole education system needs serious re-thinking.

There is a very interesting letter in malaysiakini from an recent NS participant :
http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/84077
Parents who are concerned about the program will get some useful insights into the program.

3 comments:

ScorpionStar said...

Scrap NS programme to save tax payer money and put it to good use!

Unknown said...

The NS is not what the people want but what the contrived self-serving gomen wants!

Getreal said...

The NS program is one of the most poorly planned programs by the stupid UMNO politicians. It is nothing but a corrupt scheme for bumi contractors not worth their salt to make money by supplying all the requirements to the program. What unity and harmony of the various races are you talking about with 3 months of involvment? And talking about teaching tolerance, respect and sensitivities amongst races, where is the sensitivity to participants who are vegeterians, non-beef eating Hindus, worship facilities for non-Muslim participants? This stupid UMNO govt. has squandered the wealth of Malaysia through corruption and many idiotic and meaningless projects. The rakan muda program came about just becos of the media report on young people spending thier time loitering around shopping complexes. So do we see any difference today after spending billions of ringgit on the program? Frankly, the NS program is nothing but bullshit and a laughing stock to other countries.